From ChatGPT 10/10/2025.
In the American Standard Version (ASV), it reads: Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, Until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1)
In the NRSVue, it reads: The Lord says to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”
This verse is significant because it is later quoted in several New Testament passages (e.g., Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42–43, Acts 2:34–35, and Hebrews 1:13) to discuss the identity and authority of the Messiah.
Here is an outline of how Jewish and early Christian interpreters understood the two figures—“YHWH” and “my Lord”—in this verse. [see red text below for details about this]
Here’s a practical outline showing how Jewish and early Christian interpreters understood the two figures in Psalm 110:1 — “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’”
1. Hebrew Bible Context (Jewish Understanding)
Text: Ne’um YHWH la’adoni — “A declaration of YHWH to my lord.”
a. Original Setting (Hebrew Context)
- Most Jewish scholars and critical Bible interpreters (e.g., the Jewish Publication Society, Michael Fishbane, and Adele Berlin) understand “my lord” (’adoni) as a human superior, not a divine being.
- The psalm is viewed as a royal enthronement psalm, composed for a Davidic king — possibly David himself or one of his descendants.
- “Sit at my right hand” is a metaphor for honor, favor, and delegated authority, not equality with YHWH.
- In ancient Near Eastern terms, sitting at a ruler’s right hand meant serving as his most trusted representative.
- “Until I make your enemies your footstool” refers to God granting victory to the king over his enemies.
b. Rabbinic Interpretation (Later Judaism)
- Rabbinic commentaries like Midrash Tehillim (on Psalm 110) often identify “my lord” as Abraham, David, or the Messiah, depending on the context.
- For example:
- Some midrashim say YHWH spoke to Abraham, exalting him after his victories (Genesis 14).
- Others take it as God speaking to David, affirming his kingship.
- In some messianic readings (e.g., Targum Psalms), “my lord” is interpreted as the Messiah, whom God will exalt in the end time — but still subordinate to God.
2. Early Christian Understanding
a. Jesus’ Use (Synoptic Gospels)
In Matthew 22:43–45 (NRSV), Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1 and asks:
“How can David call the Messiah ‘Lord’ if the Messiah is his son?”
- Early Christians took this to mean the psalm was prophetic, revealing that the Messiah was greater than David, not merely his descendant.
- “My Lord” was thus interpreted as referring to Jesus, seated at God’s right hand after resurrection (cf. Acts 2:34–36).
b. Pauline and Other Apostolic Usage
- Paul and other New Testament writers use Psalm 110:1 to depict Jesus’ exaltation:
- 1 Corinthians 15:25 (NRSV): “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.”
- Hebrews 1:13 (NRSV): “But to which of the angels has he ever said, ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’?”
- For early Christians, this verse symbolized Christ’s divine authority and ongoing reign, but still subordinate to God the Father — a theme that shaped early Christology.
3. Summary Comparison
| Aspect | Jewish Understanding | Early Christian Understanding |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker (“YHWH”) | The God of Israel | God the Father |
| “My Lord” | Human king (David or Messiah) | Jesus the Messiah |
| Meaning of “Sit at my right hand” | Elevated royal authority from God | Jesus’ exaltation to God’s side |
| Enemies under feet | Political/military enemies | Cosmic and spiritual opposition |
| Nature of the “Lord” | Human, chosen by God | Divine-human, sharing in God’s rule |
If you want, I can show how critical scholars (like Bart Ehrman, James Dunn, or Geza Vermes) explain why early Christians read this verse differently from Jewish interpreters — focusing on language and context. Would you like that next? A: Yes.
Here’s a practical summary of how critical Bible scholars explain the difference between Jewish and early Christian interpretations of Psalm 110:1 — focusing on linguistic, historical, and theological reasoning rather than apologetics.
1. Linguistic and Textual Foundation
Hebrew wording:
נְאֻם יְהוָה לַאדֹנִי (ne’um YHWH la’adoni) — “A declaration of YHWH to my lord.”
- Critical point (per scholars like Geza Vermes and Adele Berlin):
The Hebrew word ’adoni (“my lord”) is not the same as Adonai (“Lord,” a reverent term for God).
’Adoni is always used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to a human master or superior, not to God.
(Example: 1 Samuel 25:24 — Abigail calls David “my lord,” ’adoni.)
Therefore, in the original Hebrew context, Psalm 110:1 refers to a human king exalted by God, not a divine figure.
2. Historical and Cultural Context
Jewish understanding (critical view):
- Scholars such as John Collins (Yale) and James Kugel (Harvard) note that the psalm fits the royal enthronement ceremony genre, celebrating a new Davidic king.
- “Sit at my right hand” means God grants royal authority, not literal co-rule with God.
- The psalm likely originated in the monarchical period (10th–7th century BCE) and expressed court theology, not messianic prophecy at first.
Early Christian reinterpretation:
- By the first century CE, many Jews had come to read psalms and prophecies as messianic texts due to Roman oppression and hopes for deliverance.
- Early Christians (as noted by Bart Ehrman, How Jesus Became God, ch. 6) re-read passages like Psalm 110:1 in light of Jesus’ resurrection, interpreting them retrospectively as foretelling his exaltation to heaven.
3. Greek Translation Influence
Septuagint (LXX):
Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου (Eipen ho Kyrios tō Kyriō mou) — “The Lord said to my Lord.”
- In Greek, both “LORD” and “Lord” are rendered by the same word (Kyrios), which blurs the distinction that existed in Hebrew.
- Critical scholars (e.g., James D. G. Dunn) point out that this linguistic ambiguity made it easier for early Christians to apply both “Lords” to divine figures — God the Father and Jesus — without seeing conflict.
4. Early Christian Reinterpretation (Critical Analysis)
- Bart Ehrman explains that early Christians, believing Jesus had been exalted to heaven, searched Hebrew scriptures for texts that could explain that event. Psalm 110:1 was ideal: it described someone seated beside God in authority.
- Geza Vermes emphasizes that Jesus and his followers interpreted such psalms midrashically — not literally predicting Jesus, but re-applied to his exalted status after the resurrection.
- James Dunn argues that the verse’s use in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 2:34–36) shows how functional divinity was attributed to Jesus: he acts with divine authority but remains subordinate to God.
5. Summary Table of Critical Perspectives
| Dimension | Original (Hebrew) Meaning | Early Christian Interpretation | Critical Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | “My lord” = human king (’adoni) | “My Lord” = Jesus | Greek translation blurred the human/divine distinction |
| Genre | Royal enthronement psalm | Prophecy of Messiah’s exaltation | Reinterpreted after Jesus’ resurrection |
| Theology | King receives authority from God | Jesus shares authority with God | Early believers re-read texts through their new experiences |
| Scholars Noted | Adele Berlin, James Kugel, John Collins | Bart Ehrman, Geza Vermes, James Dunn | All agree meaning shifted through reinterpretation |
6. In Practical Terms
- In Judaism: Psalm 110:1 honors God’s chosen king — still human, under divine authority.
- In early Christianity: Psalm 110:1 symbolizes Jesus’ heavenly enthronement — his vindication and ongoing reign beside God.
- According to critical scholars: The verse’s Christian reading is a theological reuse of a royal psalm, not its original intent.
Would you like me to outline next where in Second Temple Jewish literature (e.g., Dead Sea Scrolls, Psalms of Solomon) similar “exalted figure beside God” ideas appear — which may have influenced how early Christians read Psalm 110:1?
